William s



(No Model.)

W. S. WEBSTER.

HARNESS SADDLE.

No. 337,217; Patented Mar.2,1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

WILLIAM S. \VEBSTER, OF NEWARK, NE? JERSEY, ASSIGrNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE PETERS 8t CALHOUN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HARNESS-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 337,217, dated March 2. 1886. Application filed November 13, 1885. Serial No. 182,655. (No model.)

To (1% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented nying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention consists in certain constructive features, adapted chiefly for use in a saddletree having a sliding back-band.

The several improvements consist, first, in a solid roller fitted toa suitable bearing-seat in the center of the tree; secondly, in. an ex tension projected from the center of the tree in front, to adapt thetree for trimming with seats of various sizes, so as to finish in different widths-as from two and one-half to three inches; thirdly, in a stiffener formed integral with the ends of the tree and strengthened by angle-ribs extended along its sides; fourthly, in lugs projected from each side of the tree over the back-band, at the site of the terretnut, to hold the latter in place and avoid interference with the movements of the backband; fifthly, in holes formed in the arch near the center of the tree, for inserting or changing the nut after the saddle is made up, by the mere turning down of the inner ends of the pads; sixthly, in the combination, with the hole formed in the tree and the seat for inserting the rein-hook, of a lug formed upon the under side of the seat to fit the hole in the tree, to steady the seat when making up; and, seventhly, in flanges extended from the erupper-loop down the rear edge of the tree, to support the pad and to hold the saddle upright, when in use, against the tension of the cropper-loop.

Figure l is a plan of a tree embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on line av 00 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the seat inverted. Fig. 4 1s a vertical section on line y y in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 represents one side of the tree, viewed at right angles to its surface, as represented by the arrow a in Fig. 2. Figs. 4. and 5 are upon a larger scale than the other figures.

A is the arch or center of the tree; B, the depending ends of the same; 0, the stifl'ener formed therewith; D, the inclined ribs extending downward from the edges of the tree to the edges of the stiffener; E, the seat; f, the hole therein for the rein-hook; g, a lug upon the under side of the seat at the'end of such hole; h, the hole formed in the tree to receive the rein-hook and elongated to admit the lug g, and I the extension at the front of the tree adjacent to such hole, to receive the seat E.

.J is a solid roller fitted in a semicircular bearing in the top of the arch, and K are flanges extended from the crupper-loop down the rear edges of the tree, to adapt the tree for making up into saddles from two and one-half tothree inches in width, and to resist the strain on thecru'pper.

, "liarelugs projected from each side of the treeover the back-band, (which is not shown in the drawings, as its location and mode of operation are well understood,) to hold the terret-nut in place, as indicated by the dotted lines on in Fig. 5, the lugs being separated over the center of the back-band by a continuous opening, Z, adapted to admit a rivet, n, to hold the nut in place. The end of each lug is formed with a semicircular notch, 1 to admit the hub of the nut, so that the nut may be held in place by the lugs alone when inserted through holes in the arch of the tree after the saddle is made The nut is shown in full lines at the right side of Fig. 2, secured to the lugs by the rivets n, while at the left side of the same figure a loose nut is shownpartly inserted through the hole 0, formed in the arch of the tree, and permitting the application or changing of the nut to suit any style of mountings after the saddle is made up. In such case theinner end of the pad (which is shown in dotted linesp in Fig. 2) would be loosened and turned down sufficiently to reach the nut, and to handle it through the hole 0.

By employing a solid roller in the arch I secure a suitable support for the back band and avoid drilling the tree for a roller-pivot. By the use of the extension I at the front of the tree, the latter is adapted to trim to varions widths for different styles of harness, and by the projection of the flanges K at the rear of. the tree the saddle is prevented from tipping over to the horse-s back when in use.

By the other constructive features described downward along the edges of the sunken chan 2 v as-7.217

herein the manufacture of the tree is simplified, and the application to it of the trimmings and mountings is greatly facilitated.

I am fully aware that it is not new to construct the saddle-tree with a sunken channel to receive the back-band, and with a pivoted roller in the arch to form an anti-friction hearing for the same; and I therefore disclaim such constructions, as well as the solid bridge heretofore used to sustain the terret-nut, in place of the lugs Z, described herein.

I am aware that an extension has been formed upon the saddle-tree, upon which the rein-hook his been fastened, as shown in United States Patent No. 186,772, and I therefore disclaim said patent; but my invention difi'ers from the same in that the extension forms one of the supports for the seat, which is secured thereto by means ot'the shank ofthe rein-hook. Neither do I claim as new the construction of ribs upon the saddle-tree to strengthen thesame-su ch as is shown in United States PatentNo. 148,925, but-limit myself to the combination, with a saddle-tree having a sunken channel to receive a back-band, of the inclined ribs D, extended ml and the edges of the stilfener, as herein shown and described.

Having thus set forth the nature of my improvements, what I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with a saddle-tree, of a recess in the top of the arch provided with semicircularbearings at opposite ends, and a solid roller fitted to saidbearings and arranged to support the back-band, substantially as herein described.

forth.

3. The combination, with a saddle-tree having sunken channel to receive the back-band, of the lugs Z, projected from each side of the tree, the lugs being separated by the opening Z, to admit a rivet, and being formed with a notch, Z, to admit the hub of the terret-nut, substantially as shown and described. f 4. The combination, with a cast-metal saddle-tree having a sunken channel to receive the backband, of the stifi'ener 0, formed integral with the ends of the tree, and the inclined ribs D, extended downward along the. edges of the sunken channel and the edges of the stifl'ener, substantially as and for the pur-, pose set forth.

5. The combination, with the saddle-tree having the elongated hole h formed in the arch, of the seat E, provided with lug g, to fit one end of said hole, as and for the purpose set forth. l y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

TH'os. S. CRANE, L. 

